Hot Monk

Giphsub · January 8, 2008

eys!

As promised, I went to the Nagano snow monkeys again this year. Got lots of pics. They just love sitting in the hot springs to warm up. Comments welcome. You might like to see the rest of the pics in my gallery here.

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PrescottPhotog · January 8, 2008

Giphsub wrote:

eys! As promised, I went to the Nagano snow monkeys again this year.

BRAVO Mike !!!. Absolutely beautiful pictures of such gentle looking critters. I tried to pick a favorite but that was almost impossible (at least for me). #1 and #5 have to rank right up there as favorites but the expression and eyes in #6 are almost mesmerizing.

Wow is all I can say, they are all wonderfully captured..

Congratulations on a great set of photos.

JenGrace · January 8, 2008

I really love the blissful expressions on their faces as they soak in the hot water. These are some of the most amazing shots I've ever seen.

saurora · January 8, 2008

JenW wrote:

I really love the blissful expressions on their faces as they soak in the hot water. These are some of the most amazing shots I've ever seen.

Blissful is a great description! What expressions! Hard to pick they are all wonderful, but I love the eyelids and the pose in #8 and the two that are face to face #1 and #14.

riddim_maker · January 8, 2008

Awesome series Mike

It's really hard to pick a favorite here
I'll pick all of them

:ivar

Harryb · January 8, 2008

Your best yet

jwear · January 8, 2008

you done good Mike

---you did shows us how the hot tub works

schmoo · January 8, 2008

Thatsa lotta monkeys!

They look so much like people. Great captures!

Are their faces always that pink or is it from the heat and fur coats?

Elaine · January 8, 2008

Incredible! My son and I sat here ohhing and ahhing over them...their expressions and interactions and fuzziness and cuteness. Your shots really show them off well. GREAT job!

Giphsub · January 8, 2008

PrescottPhotog wrote:

BRAVO Mike !!!. Absolutely beautiful pictures of such gentle looking critters. I tried to pick a favorite but that was almost impossible (at least for me). #1 and #5 have to rank right up there as favorites but the expression and eyes in #6 are almost mesmerizing.

Wow is all I can say, they are all wonderfully captured.. Congratulations on a great set of photos.

Thanks Chris! The comments are much appreciated. This was my second time round going to the snow monkeys, so I was a bit better prepared and had thought a bit more about how to shoot there.

Giphsub · January 8, 2008

JenW wrote:

I really love the blissful expressions on their faces as they soak in the hot water. These are some of the most amazing shots I've ever seen.

Thanks Jen! That is a great compliment

They weren't all quite so blissful though! Periodic domination contests and the odd "root and run" were also part of the show!

Not to mention one monkey we caught enjoying his own juices, so to speak.:puke1 :puke

Giphsub · January 8, 2008

saurora wrote:

Blissful is a great description! What expressions! Hard to pick they are all wonderful, but I love the eyelids and the pose in #8 and the two that are face to face #1 and #14.

Thanks saurora. I love those face to face shots too. And yes, the eyelids are amazing eh!

Giphsub · January 8, 2008

riddim_maker wrote:

Awesome series Mike
It's really hard to pick a favorite here
I'll pick all of them :ivar

Sweet! Cheers Russ. Much appreciated. I think all those smilies are making me dizzy!

Giphsub · January 8, 2008

Harryb wrote:

Your best yet

Cheers Harry! Glad you like them. I'm still working on getting great bird shots like you guys in here, but I was very pleased with these pics.

spechtal · January 8, 2008

I concur with everyone else Mike

Giphsub · January 8, 2008

jwear wrote:

you done good Mike ---you did shows us how the hot tub works

Thanks Jeff!

The monkeys certainly made good use of the hot tub. There was even some monkey business going on in there!

Giphsub · January 8, 2008

schmoo wrote:

Thatsa lotta monkeys!

They look so much like people. Great captures!

Are their faces always that pink or is it from the heat and fur coats?

Thanks Schmoo! Yeah I am amazed at how human-like they are. The way they sit and soak up the heat looks just like how the people here sit and soak it up in the onsens (hot springs). And the expressions are just so similar to us. I think their faces are quite pink naturally, but the heat is most likely beefing the pinkness up a notch or two.

Giphsub · January 8, 2008

Elaine wrote:

Incredible! My son and I sat here ohhing and ahhing over them...their expressions and interactions and fuzziness and cuteness. Your shots really show them off well. GREAT job!

Thanks Elaine! That kind of reaction makes all the effort of getting out there worth it! Glad you and your son could enjoy them

Giphsub · January 8, 2008

spechtal wrote:

I concur with everyone else Mike

Thanks Angela

raptorcaptor · January 8, 2008

Excellent set Mike! I don't think I could pick a favourite out of this bunch, they are all so good!

samuel wong · January 8, 2008

nice work , good timing and compo ...

Giphsub · January 8, 2008

raptorcaptor wrote:

Excellent set Mike! I don't think I could pick a favourite out of this bunch, they are all so good!

Thaanks Glen

Giphsub · January 8, 2008

samuel wong wrote:

nice work , good timing and compo ...

Thanks, appreciated

Vickster · January 8, 2008

Wow ...
Such enjoyable shots . . . I could just look at them for hours.

How long do you stay when you go to shoot? Do the monkeys mind that you are there? Can you get in the water with them?

cmason · January 8, 2008

Holy National Geographic! Those are some incredible photos.

Maestro · January 8, 2008

Have to agree...these are your best yet. Love the expressions on these handsome monkeys! Question: These are wild monkeys, correct? This not a wildlife park in Nagano.

Giphsub · January 8, 2008

Vickster wrote:

Such enjoyable shots . . . I could just look at them for hours.

How long do you stay when you go to shoot? Do the monkeys mind that you are there? Can you get in the water with them?

Thanks Vickster! Please do look for hours!

This time round we were there a couple of hours, excluding the walk in and out of the place. The monkeys are completely used to people being there, so the will brazenly walk right up to and past you. You could get in there with them, but I think the stinky water is probably littered with monkey poop and whatever else!

Giphsub · January 8, 2008

cmason wrote:

Holy National Geographic! Those are some incredible photos.

I wish it was for National Geofraphic! Thanks for the comments cmason.

Giphsub · January 8, 2008

Maestro wrote:

Have to agree...these are your best yet. Love the expressions on these handsome monkeys! Question: These are wild monkeys, correct? This not a wildlife park in Nagano.

Thank you Stpehen

They are, indeed, wild monkeys, in the sense that they come and go as they please.

Years ago these springs were used for bathing by the local people in the area (actually, it is quite away from the nearest town, up a small mountain road). But the monkeys decided that they liked the warmth and basically took over the hot springs which the people had built rock pools to capture and use. The town decided it was a good tourist attraction and started feeding the monkeys daily to keep them coming back. Now they come down from the mountains in the morning, and pack up and go home late afternoon. No fences, cages or anything like that (other then fences to keep tourists out of some areas).

ShepsMom · January 8, 2008

Wow, what a set!!! I enjoyed everyone of them, you captured their personalieites to a T! Love all the expressions and feelings of these funny creatures. Excellent work!

clap

ian408 · January 8, 2008

These are amazing.